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What have you had co-exist with Tiger Barbs?

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I'm constantly thinking of hypotheticals. I have a 30g with a young Tiger Barb school and temporarily a young Red Fin/Tail Shark. He's moving out soon to a new home. That will leave five young Tiger Barbs the run of the tank. I plan on adding three green ones to compliment the look of the normal Tiger Barbs, but past that I am unsure. We all know the difficulty of keeping Tiger Barbs happy (read: not attacking) with the fish around them.

I want to add a bottom feeder. I believe a pleco species that grows to a maximum 4 or so inches will do well with them if provided hiding places. At that point, would you say the tank is full? I wouldn't have a big problem ending it there, but if you think I could hold more than I'd be all for it.

Regardless of whether or not it would be full though, what species have you had success with a school of eight or so Tiger Barbs? I am constantly scouring garage/tag/yard sales and craigslist for new tanks so who knows when a 55g could fall in my lap and open up new possibilities. I'd like, if possible, something creative too. I know danios will do okay, but what about something less common?

So, in summation, two things:

1) Eight Tiger Barbs, a small (NOT A COMMON!!!) pleco species. Would that be a full 29g? Or would it be overstocked?

2) Regardless of the first answer for future reference, what have you had success with from personal experience with Tiger Barbs?

I think 8 tiger barbs plus a bn pleco or clown pleco would be a nice, not overloaded, stocking plan for a 29g.

My brother had tiger barbs and they killed off everything else. After that happened a single tiger barb killed off all the other tiger barbs. I'm not sure if they're normally that aggressive or if he had crazy ones but it has led me to avoid that species of fish. It was a 29g so it wasn't like a super cramped 10g.

Originally Posted by i_am_511

Lighten up its just the internet its not like someone came in your house and punched a baby in the face.

I've housed tiger barbs with many other fish. I actually found them to be somewhat gutless in a "semi-aggressive" tank. If I had at least 5 or 6, none of them really bothered anyone but themselves. Also, if they did try to go for another fish, if the fish could swim relatively quick, then they were fine...in other words they would give up due to their short attention span. I've mixed tiger barbs with other barbs (odessa), catfish species, gouramis, bn plecos, etc. However, if they will be with community type fish- tetras, platys, guppies, etc. those fish will be toast or finless. I think your stocking plan sounds about average. You could even add another special fish (top dweller) or a few more barbs, maybe albino tiger barbs to spice it up? The pleco will be just fine with them! This is all relative to my personal experience and opinions btw.

Eight Tiger Barbs and 1 Bristlenose Pleco would be wonderful stocking for a 29g tank.

Tiger Barbs can be aggressive at times. They are highly known for nipping at fins, especially long-flowing fins of slower species such as gouramis and bettas. A way to lessen this behaviour is to have a larger school of them. With a larger school of them, they will not nip as much and will develop a pecking order between themselves.

When I had my first tank, I use to have four of them (two green and two normal) along with two gold barbs and an CAE. I never noticed any nipping behaviour from any of the fish.

As far as other fishes that would do well with Tiger Barbs...I think that danios, loaches and some tetras (not tetras with longer fins such as Black Skirts) would do well. Kuhli Loaches, for example, would do well with Tiger Barbs. Avoid fishes with long fins and fishes that tend to be slower.

I've kept tiger barbs with pictus catfish & tail-light tetras before with no problems. You have to let the tetras grow up until they start to turn grumpy though or the barbs will rip into them if they aren't fast enough to get away. (they usually are).
Corys are always good as they are tough as nails with that armour.
For a different plec I would look at a zebra or clown.

The Danios are fast enought to be kept with your barbs.
olus, they will give your upper tank some life, since the tiger barbs occupied the middle tank.
There is much more then just tiger and green barbs...you have the gold , the ade the cherry , golden, checkered, 5 banded... you have a greta choice if you want to add color to your tank.
I have a barbs tank and they are just doing their own business.
They are swimming -playing with the flow of the cascade together, but i ve never seen them bother, nip or fight with each other, if they were from different kinds.
I found that they are hanging around those who look like them the most. Actually my cherry are staying more in the upper level of the tank, with the danios...they have the same shape and i guess they think ther horizontal stripes are the same...
Barbs are so fun to watch 1 they have their own little personality!

Were to I start
serpae tetras
black skirt tetra
red eye tetra
diamond tetra
hactet fish [all types]
6 different types cory cats
striped and spotted raph
angelfish
pecock eel
nandus nandus
smiling acara
kribs
mollys
sae
cae
sailfin plec
clown plec
common plec
In short,I have not found tigers to be that bad if kept in the correct surroundings ,as a matter of fact I keep them at the moment in a group of 2 with all the above fish except for the spotted raph and the common plec.The only fish I have had them attack was when they were fairly young and that was tadpole,bamboo shrimp,a black moor [I know,it was a long time ago]yes these 2 are old.